Adjustable roaster basket

ABSTRACT

An adjustable roaster basket is described, adapted to support a turkey or other meat item while being roasted. The basket includes a bottom grill and a pair of side members. Each side member includes a pair of parallel horizontal rods at the lower end which is slidably supported by the bottom grill to increase or decrease the distance between the sides. When the basket is removed from the roaster and placed upon a serving platter, the sides may be removed to expose the turkey for carving.

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United States Patent [72] Inventors llnldaMJeta-son 1,550,138 8/1925Baker........................... 99/426 7031:! St. S.W., Rochester,Minn. S5901; 2,216,457 10/1940 Salisbury 99/450 X E mmm WGFF 433 2 5 999mmm 25 090 3, 438 53 240 Mm-h mmuw n J o N PM AF H Q.

[45] Patented June 22, 1971 Primary Examiner-walter A. Scheel AssistantExaminer-Arthur 0. Henderson Attorney-Robert M. Dunning [54 ADJUSTABLEROASTER BASKET a cum, 5 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: An adjustable roaster basket is described, adapted to supporta turkey or other meat item while being roasted. The basket includes abottom-grill and a pair of 'side members. Each side member includes apair of parallel horizontal rods at the lower end which is slidablysupported by the bottom grill to increase or decrease the distancebetween the sides. When the basket is removed from the roaster andplaced upon a serving platter, the sides may be removed to ex- W .m w rm y e m U m m mm w w 5 53 4 3 333 I 94w 9 l 9 9 m 1.... 36 m WU u 6 n "u0 u m 2 m m m 3 3 m A mmmfl m m Mm m MM H C m u u u m m m mm A u "m 9 v.m m 3 mmw m mm% k m u "n e m R06 m u 6 no u u 3 .l m a T- 3 4 C 5 LM 3 U.m w 3 l 1] 1 6 2 0 6 2 S 55 5 [Ill PATENTEU JUN22 I971 INVENTOR l /ULDAM PETERSON Do/v F/G. Z

ADJUSTABLE ROASTER BASKET This invention relates to an improvement inadjustable roaster basket and deals particularly with a device which isinserted into the roaster, and upon which the item being roasted isplaced, to facilitate the removal of the item after or during theprocess of roasting.

Meat products such as turkeys and the like, are usually cooked incovered roaster pans. Difficulty is often experienced in removing themeat product from the roaster. For example, in the cooking of turkeys,the turkey often substantially fills the roaster and may be ofconsiderable weight. When it is desired to remove the turkey from theroaster pan, it is usually necessary to engage opposite sides of theturkey to lift it from the relatively deep pan. If the turkey is fullycooked, this operation may cause considerable abrasion to the surface ofthe turkey. If the turkey is extremely well done, this operation mayresult in very material abrasion to the surface of the turkey, and mayeven cause disengagement of the wings or legs from the turkey during theremoval process. It is an object of the present invention to provide ameans of removing the meat product, such as the turkey, from the roasterpan so that it will be intact and be in proper form when placed upon thetable prior to serving.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of abasket of the type described in which the size of the device isadjustable to suit roaster pans of various dimensions, and to fitobjects to be roasted which are of various dimensions, such as turkeysof different size. The basket is so arranged that the sides thereofmaybe adjusted toward or away from one another in order to accommodate aturkey therebetween regardless of the size of the bird.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of aroaster basket of the type described which includes a base or bottomportion upon which the product rests during the roasting operations, andside portions adjustably secured to the bottom portion, ad designed toextend upwardly along opposite sides of the roaster pan. The sides ofthe basket are adjustable toward or away from one another foraccommodation into roaster pans of various widths. Furthermore, thestructure is such that after the turkey is removed from the roaster pan,the basket may be placed upon a serving platform and the sides of thebasket may be removed to provide access to the turkey. The base portionof the basket then serves as a platform to support the base portion ofthe product above the level of the serving platter and to pennit theproduct to be carved without interference.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision ofroaster basket including a base or bottom portion formed of a series ofrods which are supported by suitable sup porting means above the surfaceof a serving platter or other plate upon which the basket is rested.This permits the juices from the product to drain through the baseportion of the device unto the tray or platter from which these juicesmay be served.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable roaster basket inreadiness for use.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in F IG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the basket shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the side portions ofthe basket removed from the base portion thereof.

FIG. 5 is a detail section of the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

in the following description, the word turkey" has been used to describethe product being roasted. Obviously, roasts or other meats or foodscould similarly be accommodated.

The adjustable roaster basket is indicated in general by the letter A.in general, the device includes a base or bottom section which isindicated in general by the numeral 10, and a pair of side members whichare indicated in general by the numerals 11 and 12. The side members 11and 12 are laterally adjustable relative to the base section l0.

The base section 10 is made of welded wire rod and is generally oval inoutline and includes a pair of parallel end portions 13 which areconnected by a pair of outwardly bowed sides 14. The parallel ends 13are connected by a series of three parallel rods 15, and an intermediatepair of rods 16. The rods 15 and 16 are all parallel, and extend fromone end 13 to the other. The rods 15 and 16 are supported in properrelation to the outwardly bowed sides 14 by means of a pair ofcrossbraces 17 which extend parallel to the ends 13 between theoutwardly bowed sides 14, and which are spot welded or otherwiseattached to the parallel supporting rods 15 and 16.

As is perhaps best illustrated in FIG. 1 and 5 of the drawings, theparallel supporting rods 15 are provided with downwardly projectingsubstantially U-shaped loops 19 near one end thereof, and similardownwardly projecting loops 20 near the opposite end thereof. Theintermediate spring rods 16 are provided with downwardly extending loops21 near one end thereof, and similar loops such as 22 near the oppositeend thereof. The purpose of these loops will be described.

The generally similar sides 11 and 12 are slidably supported formovement transversely of the bottom section 10 of the basket. The side11 includes an outwardly bowed upper rod portion 23, an outwardly bowedlower rod portion 24, and connecting ends 25 between the members 23 and24 to form a loop which is bowed outwardly to follow the general contourof an oval roaster pan. The other side 12 is similarily provided with anoutwardly bowed upper rod portion 26, an outwardly bowed lower rodportion 27, and connecting ends 29 connecting the ends of the members 26and 27 to form an elongated loop. Thus the side 12 is similar to theside 11, but reversed in curvature. A handle rod 30 which is generallyparallel to the upper member 23 of the side 11 is supported bydownwardly and outwardly inclined supporting braces 31 which are spotwelded or otherwise attached to the upper member 23 and lower member 24of the frame side 11. The ends of the frame side 31 are bent intohorizontal parallel relationship as indicated at 32 and 33. The member32 is supported in the loops 21 of the frame members 16 near one end ofthe base portion 10, and the member 33 is supported in loops 22 in thesesame frame members 16 at the opposite end of the base. The parallelmembers 32 and 33 extend beneath the alternate rods or frame members 15and are thus slidably supported in bearings provided by the loops 21 and22.

The frame side member 12 also includes a handle rod 35 which issupported by downwardly and outwardly inclined handle sides 36 whichterminate in parallel rods 37 and 38. The rod 37 is slidably supportedin the loops 19 of the rods 15 near one end of the bottom section 10,and the rod 38 is supported in the loops 20 in these same rods near theopposite end thereof. The parallel rods 37 and 38 extend beneath therods 16 and are thus slidably supported for free lateral movement, andmay position the sides 11 and 12 against the sidewalls of the roasterpan, or may permit the sides 11 and 12 to be completely removed from thebase or bottom section 10 after the turkey or other object being roastedhas been placed upon a serving platter or tray.

One of the advantages of the structure lies in the fact that it is notnecessary to remove the turkey or other item being roasted from the baseportion of the basket. The basket may be lifted from the roaster andraised upon a platter or serving tray, and the side portions may beremoved so that the turkey may be readily carved. The base portion ofthe basket forms a support which tends to prevent the sliding of theturkey during the carving operation.

FIG. 4 of the drawings indicates a modified form of handle constructionwhich may be employed in conjunction with deep roasting pans. ln view ofthe fact that the side portions 11 and 12 are identical to thoseprevious described, they have been given similar identifying numerals.The difference between the structure shown in FIG. 4 and the remainingfigures lies in the addition of a generally U-shaped handle member 41having substantially parallel curved ends 42 which are looped about thehandle member 30 as indicated at 43. Similarily, a U-shaped handle 44having curved substantially parallel sides 45 which are looped about thehandle member 35 as indicated at 46. The handle members 41 and d5 mayextend above the walls of the roasting pan to simplify the operation ofremoving the basket from the pan.

in accordance with the Patent Statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my improvement in adjustable roasterbasket, and while i have endeavored to set forth the best embodimentthereof I desire to have it understood that changes may be made withinthe scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

We claim: 1. An adjustable roaster basket including: an elongated bottomsection adapted to support an item to be roasted, a pair of basket sidesfor opposite sides of said bottom section, a pair of horizontallyextending parallel rods projecting from the lower edge of each of saidbasket sides, said bottom section including transversely spaced forslidably supporting said rods to permit movement of said sides toward oraway from said bottom section. 2. The structure of claim l and in whichthe sides of said bottom section are bowed outwardly.

3. The structure of claim 1 and in which the bottom section includes agenerally ovular frame having outwardly bowed sides and connecting ends,parallel longitudinally extending rods connecting the ends of saidframe, and transversely extending reinforcing rods extending across saidframe.

4. The structure of claim 1 and including a plurality of rods extendinglongitudinally of said bottom section and including downwardlyprojecting loops providing said bearings for slidably supporting saidparallel rods.

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which alternate of said last namedrods include loops forming said bearings for accommodating the parallelrods of one basket side and the remaining last named rods include loopsforming said bearings for accommodating the parallel rods of the otherframe side.

6. The structure of claim 1 and in which the basket sides each includean elongated generally rectangular wire loop, and in which the outerends of said parallel rods of each frame side is bent to form handlesupports extending upwardly across said loop, the upper ends of saidupwardly extending handle supports being connected to provide a handle.

7. The structure of claim 6 and in which said handle supports inclineupwardly and inwardly toward one another.

8. The structure of claim 7 and including a generally U- shapedauxiliary handle having the ends of the U-shaped handle pivotallyconnected to said handle.

1. An adjustable roaster basket including: an elongated bottom sectionadapted to support an item to be roasted, a pair of basket sides foropposite sides of said bottom section, a pair of horizontally extendingparallel rods projecting from the lower edge of each of said basketsides, said bottom section including transversely spaced for slidablysupporting said rods to permit movement of said sides toward or awayfrom said bottom section.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which thesides of said bottom section are bowed outwardly.
 3. The structure ofclaim 1 and in which the bottom section includes a generally ovularframe having outwardly bowed sides and connecting ends, parallellongitudinally extending rods connecting the ends of said frame, andtransversely extending reinforcing rods extending across said frame. 4.The structure of claim 1 and including a plurality of rods extendinglongitudinally of said bottom section and including downwardlyprojecting loops providing said bearings for slidably supporting saidparallel rods.
 5. The structure of claim 4 and in which alternate ofsaid last named rods include loops forming said bearings foraccommodating the parallel rods of one basket side and the remaininglast named rods include loops forming said bearings for accommodatingthe parallel rods of the other frame side.
 6. The structure of claim 1and in which the basket sides each include an elongated generallyrectangular wire loop, and in which the outer ends of said parallel rodsof each frame side is bent to form handle supports extending upwardlyacross said Loop, the upper ends of said upwardly extending handlesupports being connected to provide a handle.
 7. The structure of claim6 and in which said handle supports incline upwardly and inwardly towardone another.
 8. The structure of claim 7 and including a generallyU-shaped auxiliary handle having the ends of the U-shaped handlepivotally connected to said handle.